Rumors Are Swirling That the iPhone 7 WILL Have a Headphone Jack, but We're Not Buying It

Rumors Are Swirling That the iPhone 7 WILL Have a Headphone Jack, but We're Not Buying It

If you've been keeping tabs on the rumor mill for the iPhone 7, one of the most discussed elements of Apple's upcoming device is the possible elimination of the headphone jack in favor of a Lightning connection.

A move like that would immediately separate it from all other smartphones on the market, and it's been the most persistent rumor about the iPhone 7 to date. But if there's one thing to learn over the years when it comes to anything tech-related, it's not to invest too heavily in rumors.

A new image posted on the Chinese social media network Weibo (via 9to5Mac) appears to show an iPhone 7 component complete with a 3.5 mm analog headphone jack (seen in the circle).

Why We're Not Buying It

There are a few of reasons why this shouldn't be given too much validity. To begin with, there's no credible track record of accuracy when it comes to any rumors coming from this source—we don't really know if this is a part from an iPhone at all. If it is, which iPhone is from exactly?

It could be a board from a current model, like the iPhone SE, especially given the size of the component. It could even be for an iPhone clone, given that there's a large market for it within China.

It also wouldn't make sense logistically for Apple to keep the headphone jack for one model (iPhone 7) and not the other (iPhone Pro), especially if they want to sell Lightning-to-3.5 mm jack adapters and get more licensing fees for Lightning-equipped headphones.